Production of A Nicotine and Tobacco-Free Flavored Molasses Intended to be Smoked in Hookah

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to the production of a tobacco and nicotine-free flavored molasses intended for smoking in hookah by using Expanded Perlite as a substitute for tobacco that is contained in the traditional hookah flavored molasses. This tobacco substitute is absolutely chemically inert and not harmful to the smoker. Other main ingredients of the traditional hookah flavored molasses such as propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, water, fruity flavoring material, and sweetener shall be used along with the Expanded Perlite in producing such tobacco and nicotine-free flavored molasses.The main objective of the production of this type of hookah flavored molasses is to considerably reduce the harm and death risk resulting from tobacco on the health of the smokers of traditional Hookah, and the addiction resulting from nicotine contained in the tobacco.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the production of a tobacco and nicotine-free flavored molasses intended for smoking in Hookah by using Expanded Perlite as a substitute to tobacco contained in the traditional hookah molasses. Expanded Perlite is an inorganic substance that is non-toxic, tasteless, odorless, and thermally stable (it softens at a temperature above 850 degrees C.

During its expansion process, Perlite is heated to a temperature above 870 degrees C. and thus it is quite cleared from any toxic material that it might have before it was subjected to this high temperature. After calcination of Perlite it becomes very light with a bulk density of 0.03-0.15 g/cm3 and a high oil absorption. It is then called Expanded Perlite

Under a microscope, Expanded Perlite is revealed as being covered on its surface with countless tiny cells and with such a characteristic it is proving to be highly suitable substance to be used as a substitute to tobacco in a hookah smoking flavored molasses, as it has a high liquid absorption with almost double its weight. It also has a special physical property that allows the flavored liquid smoking mix of the tobacco-free Hookah, to be absorbed only into the exterior surfaces of its particles and these liquids are prevented from entering inside them.

In addition, the high liquid absorption of Expanded Perlite assists in controlling the quantity of the smoking liquid mix to be adsorbed on its surfaces to give a smooth and comfortable smoking.

Maintaining all the liquid of the flavored liquid smoking mix only on the exterior surface of Expanded Perlite would tend to use much less heat to vaporize this liquid.

Perlite is a non-renewable resource. It is a very cheap product and its world reserves are estimated at 700 million tons. It comes in granules of different size: 1—Fine Expanded Perlite: 0-2 mm, 2—Medium Expanded Perlite: 1-3 mm and 3—Horticultural Expanded Perlite: 2-5 mm.

The most convenient Expanded Perlite for the purpose of this type of nicotine- and tobacco-free smoking system is the Horticultural type.

Expanded Vermiculite is almost similar to the structure of Expanded Perlite, but it has two setbacks, it is usually contaminated with toxic Asbestos, and the liquid mix of hookah smoking system does not go to the surface of its particles, but is accumulated inside them and that mix can't be easily available to give smooth smoking

This nicotine and tobacco-free hookah flavored molasses includes along with the Expanded Perlite a mix of a sweetener based on sugar syrup or glucose syrup or sugar cane syrup or corn syrup or the like or natural zero calorie sweetener or artificial sweeteners, along with the one or two FDA approved humectants namely, vegetable glycerin (VG) and propylene glycol PG) with the aqueous flavoring agents. Also small amount of sodium benzoate is added as preservative, and it should not exceed the amount as recommended by World Health Organization. Paraffin oil is also added in small quantities to assist in slow burning of the sugar material contained in the hookah molasses

The percentages by weight of the ingredients of this type of nicotine- and tobacco-free flavored molasses shall be as follows:

Ingredient Percent by weight Expanded Perlite 38-48 Flavoring Agent  5-15 Propylene Glycol 0-7 Vegetable Glycerin 10-20 Sweetener as solid 15-25 Water 10-17 Sodium benzoate 0.05-0.1  Paraffin oil 0.5-1.5 (Optional for regulating burning)

The following is a guideline formulation for producing a nicotine and tobacco-free hookah flavored molasses:

Ingredient Quantity (grams) Expanded Perlite 1000 Flavoring Agent 100-150 (depends on its type and concentration) PG 100-200 VG 500-600 Glucose Syrup (60%) 1200-1800 Sodium Benzoate   2 Paraffin Oil 35-45 (Optional)

This nicotine and tobacco-free flavored molasses is intended to be smoked alone in the hookah as it is or to be mixed with a traditional tobacco-rich molasses in a percentage that is left to the smokers to decide depending on their general physiological mood and their desire to reduce the amount of nicotine they are inhaling to achieve less addiction. Here it is very important to note that this type of flavored molasses contains sugar or the like, and sugar decomposes at 186 degrees C. which is within the temperature range of smoking Hookah (180-200 deg. C.), then the sugar will be decomposed while smoking the hookah to black carbon. The black carbon will be quite seen on the head of the hookah after smoking the hookah.

When producing any form/formulation of this flavored molasses to be used in hookah smoking certain matters must be taken into consideration.

For instance, both PG and VG are responsible for the production of vapor. But PG produces less vapor than VG. Therefore, if a thick vapor smoke is required in any nicotine and tobacco-free hookah flavored molasses form, the percentage of VG by weight will be increased in the formulation. However, PG, is used to give a throat-hit similar to that the smoker feels when smoking the traditional hookah with tobacco. Its quantity in the formulation is decided whether a soft or hard throat hit is required.

With regard to the flavoring agent, the quantity to be used in the smoking substance shall depend on the concentration of the flavor used.

The sugar material/sweetener is added to give a sweet mouth feel of the vapor smoke, and its quantity in the formulation of the subject flavored molasses is somehow related to the type of the fruit flavoring agent used. Any of the above shall be taken into consideration when a certain form of the nicotine and tobacco-free hookah flavored molasses is targeted for production.

METHOD OF PRODUCTION

Usually the traditional hookah flavored molasses is manufactured by soaking the tobacco in tubs containing its other liquid ingredients in a ratio of 1:3 between tobacco and other liquid ingredients. In this case, the liquid ingredients will be absorbed on the outside surfaces and inside the tobacco leaves.

The subject hookah flavored molasses does not accept soaking into the flavored liquid mix since we need the liquid ingredients to be absorbed only on the countless tiny cells covering the surfaces of the Expanded Perlite and not inside them.

The best way to achieve that is by spraying regularly and uniformly the liquid ingredients of this subject invention into the surface of the Expanded Perlite while it is moving on a conveyor belt at a fixed speed. 

1- This invention is related to the production of nicotine and tobacco-free flavored molasses intended for smoking in the hookah. It consists of a flavored liquid mix that is added to Expanded Perlite which is considered here as a substitute to tobacco that is used in traditional hookah flavored molasses. This flavored liquid mix consists of Vegetable Glycerin (VG), Propylene Glycol (PG), flavoring material, a sweetener based on sugar syrup or glucose syrup or sugar cane syrup or corn syrup or the like or natural zero calorie sweetener or artificial sweeteners with a preservative such as sodium benzoate, and an optional agent for regulating the burning of the sugar material such as paraffin oil. 2- Expanded Perlite as a tobacco substitute according to claim 1 is a tasteless, odorless, and non-toxic material with very special physical features related to the absorption of the flavored liquid mix of this nicotine and tobacco-free flavored molasses only on the exterior countless tiny cells covering the surface of the Expanded Perlite. This makes Expanded Perlite a perfect tobacco substitute pertaining to the flavored molasses intended for smoking in hookah 3- According to claims 1 & 2, Expanded Perlite as a tobacco substitute in hookah smoking, when is used to produce a flavored molasses intended for smoking with hookah it makes the smoking of Hookah considerably less health risky than the traditional tobacco-rich hookah smoking. 4- According to any claims 1, 2, 3, Expanded Perlite as a tobacco substitute in hookah smoking is used to produce special flavored molasses intended for smoking with hookah to suit non-addictive smokers and other smokers who are planning to quit smoking. Such flavored molasses intended for smoking in hookah shall be designed to be nicotine-free. 5- According to any claims 1, 2, 3, & 4 when Expanded Perlite as a tobacco substitute is used to produce a form of flavored smoking molasses intended for smoking with hookah is specially designed to permit mixing it with other types of flavored tobacco-rich smoking molasses. Such mixing will be made by the hookah smokers in any ratio that is convenient for them to maintain the feel or the pleasure and physiological mood the smoker is getting from smoking the traditional tobacco-rich hookah (Usually, both types of smoking molasses have identical flavors), and at the same time reducing the inhaling of the amount of nicotine as a result of mixing both types of molasses where one of them is nicotine-free. This leads the traditional hookah smokers to be less subjected to nicotine addiction. 6- According to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 when Expanded Perlite as a tobacco substitute is used to produce a form of flavored smoking molasses intended for smoking with hookah, designed to be mixed with other suitable types of tobacco-rich hookah flavored smoking molasses (usually both types of smoking molasses having identical flavors), it provides to the traditional hookah smoker the opportunity to smoke a hookah that is less health-risk than the traditional hookah, and will generate less Harmful and Potentially Harmful Constituents included in the already used traditional smoking molasses, as the content of tobacco in this new smoking mix contains less tobacco. Mixing of both types of flavored smoking mixes could be made in any percentage that is acceptable to the smoker while maintaining his required pleasure and physiological mood. 7- According to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 when Expanded Perlite is used to produce a substance of flavored smoking molasses intended for hookah smoking and when mixing it with any other suitable type of traditional hookah flavored smoking molasses, it provides the advantage to the hookah smoker of smoking a cheaper hookah flavored smoking substance. The nicotine and tobacco-free smoking molasses is not subject to high taxes like the tobacco enriched molasses as it does not contain tobacco, and this results in a less cost of a smoking substance to the smoker as a result of mixing both types of flavored smoking molasses. Mixing of both types of flavored smoking molasses could be made in any percentage that is acceptable to the smoker while maintaining his required pleasure and physiological mood. 8- Referring to any of the smoking forms mentioned in the above claims 1-7, a new and different smoking substance is also intended to be generated through the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) marketing system by selling a smoking system of 2 components. In this case, the Expanded Perlite as the tobacco substitute used in this invention is considered as the first component and will be packed separately in special containers and the flavored liquid mixture will be marketed as the second component. The instructions on how to mix both components will be indicated on each container. 9- The method of production according to any of the above claims 1-7 where Expanded Perlite is used as a tobacco substitute for making a flavored smoking molasses for hookah smoking, requires the flavored fluid mix to be first separately made by mixing all its liquid ingredients in a liquid mixer. The flavored liquid mix is then sprayed by a special metering pump with a sprinkling nozzle that sprays uniformly and regularly a pre-calculated weight of the flavored liquid mix into the Expanded Perlite that is moving, at a fixed speed, on a conveyor belt connected to a feeding hopper that feeds the Expanded Perlite to the moving conveyor belt at a fixed speed. The spraying process is continuous and could be precisely controlled by a PLC system. The finished product then travels to the storage bins and after that to the packing machines for final packing. Packs types and volumes shall be designed as per market requirements. 